I think there's definitely a window of opportunity. There are still plenty of people who feel uncomfortable with ordering glasses online themselves, but can't afford the traditional B&M's either.
As someone who's worn glasses for over 40 years, I've noticed that the price of glasses really shot up over the last few years with the advent of flexible spending accounts. There are so many people who spend a crazy price because it's "not their money". That's just nuts. A rip off is a rip off. On Oct 19, 6:36 pm, onlineIDoc <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'm thinking of doing this and I wonder ( marketing survey :) ) what > your reaction is . Any comments pro or con or other suggestions are > welcome and I have thick skin if needed. > > I have been an optometrist for some 35 years, the past 12 I subleased > a location(s) at a big box merchandiser . I have cut my hours down to > 3 days a week, I'm only 51 but have other interests etc. I plan on > working 3 days a week until the good lord says no more. Dont want to > bust my hump and then drop dead before full retirement, and that > sounds boring anyway. > > Although it is tolerated , my big box chain really aint thrilled about > this deal and I know I can be out on a dime, or return to our prior > deal. > > Anyway, better to leave before being kicked out, I am thinking of > opening a low overhead good exposure location to just provide optical > services and let the internet take it from there. I know I'm early, > but I pondered it when contacts starting popping on the net, > people had reservations at first but now thats where most are sold. > > I know its a consumer led recession here, but all the better cause > when folks get desperate to spend their monies, they are becoming > panicked. I "felt" the slowing in the aur since January, but ever > since that LEH news it's like people changed. More willing to try > alternatives, desperate??lets say controlled desperation. > > I have always given great value to my patients, open door policies, > flat cheap rates and big store volume was the answer. It still works > but even our eyeglass prices are a lot of money, too much. The model > may be failing, ie a retail store where folks pay high overhead and > pay commissions , the model dragged thru the past several decades as a > sort of deal was struck. > > Suppliers and to sell to everyone, and not piss anyone off, so they > approach small shops and big chains differently, the net result being > that markups are obnoxiously high,so the small guy can see 3-4 people > a day and make it. And the big boys paying much less to suppliers love > the markup so status quo, the consumer gets the shaft and "bails out > the system". > > But if internet eyeglass sales become a true competitor to B/M sales, > the model will break.Thats how contacts became a no profit item. > > So my idea, rent with the option to buy a properly zoned house, RE is > down here too, set up the office I described above. Idealy, sponsors > would sell consignment sets and keep them up do date, and let you work > off its cost in sales. Well, even without that, the patient will be > directed to this site, so they will not fall in bad hands. There are > some messed up online retailers, not on our list. > We'd give a thorough exam, put them on terminals or give them the > address to shop at home.If we had samples we could grid them so we can > just keeping exams going, give advise adjust the glasses etc.We could > charge maybe 20.00 over the exam price to cover the investment in IT > and maybe consignment. Product comees to your place or ours, and I can > leave one assistant there to set appointments, adjust frames, etc. > > This really amounts to a new model of business whose time might be > here. What do you think? How can I make it better, is it a bad idea? > > Boy I'm glad Ira filters the messages, I may just pissed off almost > every optician and optometrist in the world on the WWW. > > With best wishes for all those hurting from this recession, I stand to > help. Peace. > > Mike Katz optometrist --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Check us out at the oft-updated http://www.glassyeyes.com! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GlassyEyes" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/glassyeyes?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
